Investigate your credit rating

Under consumer legislation governed by each province, you are entitled to a copy of all the information a credit agency has on you.

There are two main credit reporting agencies in Canada: Equifax and Trans Union.

If you want a copy of your credit report:

Mail or fax a request to the companies with photocopies of two pieces of your identification. The service is free. They will not discuss credit reports on the phone.

You may also purchase your credit report online from one of the agencies listed below.

Information on how to dispute inaccurate information is included in the written credit report you receive from the bureau. However, credit bureaux are not intended to be consumer-friendly and it can be extremely difficult to change or correct information on your report.

The credit bureau is obligated to review your complaints; however you must supply all the material requested on their forms. The forms, which accompany your personal credit report, explain how to file disputes and get corrections made. It can be a drawn out process, so you will need to be persistent.

If the credit bureau won't correct your file, ask them to mark the file "in dispute." You may also exercise your right to have a statement inserted into your credit report to explain your side of the story to potential creditors.

There is no shortcut to erasing bad credit records. Organizations who offer quick fixes are interested in your money but typically they cannot do much for you. We strongly recommend they be avoided.

A final note — if you cannot get the agency to make changes, you may want to contact your provincial consumer department. In Ontario, contact Ontario Government Services toll free at 1.800.889.9768 or via email at consumer@ontario.ca.